Most Satisfying Middlewight Per Mile

I will celebrate 50 years of riding large displacement motorcycles in a couple years. I have owned race bikes but find them impractical for long comfortable rides. For that you need either a large or medium size all round Road Bike. A proper Road Bike is confidence inspiring at any speed from parking lot crawl to high speed touring on the highway. For this purpose I find the 2007 Bonneville T100 an exceptional all rounder.

Mine is a shiny black one with torch red racing stipes hand painted on the tank. I can not tell you how many times older riders have stopped dead in their tracks, convinced they are looking at a meticulously restored original 1968 Bonneville. I am quite proud when I announce that my "Hinckley" Triumph is a 2007. Amazing you can simply buy such pleasure with your miserable dirty luchre, haha.

Such changes as I have made are mostly in the cause of sorting out the basics which I received from the factory. There was not much wrong just as she was delivered but over time I have removed the terribly restrictive airbox and rejetted her to match the new K&N air filters. At the same juncture I spent a few minutes changing her gearing to a much more highway friendly 19 tooth rear sprocket. What with the huge increase in power and the much more broad range of gearing she is now happy no matter what road I take her down. Before she buzzed a bit and lacked any real guts in her power band.

The factory seat was upgraded to a much richer looking 60s style Triumph seat marketed by Burton's Bike Bits. It has a basket weave pattern, chrome trim and I added a rather pricey but oh so authentic looking chrome grab rail to the package. All in all a first class very attractive and comfortable upgrade.

The stock handlebars were a bit crowded for my six foot frame. I found an adjustable set of early Laverda bars that feel much more a part of the bike. This alone gave me extra confidence to push her at least 20 MPH harder. I do find that most any bike needs to be fitted with that "perfect" set of bars to make it suit you to a T. The Bonnie was not far off the mark but it is all ways surprising how much more control one gains with bars that feel natural.

I will end simply by observing that I own a much larger long distance highway road bike for those occasions when I leave home for several weeks. The Bonneville is more likely unbeatable on a three day short trip through the mountains.

At her intended mission she is one very special machine. I will never willingly part with her. She has no competition at her weight, her looks and her all around competance.